460 Assiniboine Graduates Ready to Bolster the Labour Market Province Wide

Assiniboine Community College recognized graduates at a ceremony in the Keystone Centre’s Manitoba Room today, with more than 460 graduates from 30 different programs celebrated.

“Today’s celebration is the culmination of the efforts of hundreds of students, and we are pleased to see these students cross the stage with their families and friends in attendance,” said Mark Frison, president of Assiniboine.

Last year we had our largest graduation class in the college’s history as we celebrated 1,648 graduates. With more than 460 graduates this fall, the college is on pace to top last year’s numbers come June 2024.

“We have an incredible depth of programming here at Assiniboine, and we are proud to prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers. Today’s ceremony is representative of that, with certificates, diplomas, and post-graduate diplomas being presented across disciplines, in programs including Practical Nursing, Civil Technician, Horticultural Production, Mechanical and Construction Trades, Food Processing, Early Childhood Education and more” said Dr. Deanna Rexe, Vice President Academic at Assiniboine.

“We are pleased to see such a positive launch to our 2023-24 academic year and are proud to recognize an important step in the careers and lives of these students.”

Assiniboine continues to bolster important and in-demand areas of Manitoba’s labour market. Today’s graduation features more than 50 Practical Nursing graduates, ready to enter the healthcare field province-wide. The college continues to be a leader in educating nurses in Manitoba with the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program representing the largest single program offered at Assiniboine.

Another 103 students have enhanced their specialized expertise with a post-graduate diploma from areas including Human Resource Management, Marketing, and Early Childhood Program Management.

Friday’s ceremony also celebrated graduates from a tuition-free Heavy-Duty Equipment Technician certificate program designed for Indigenous students between ages 18 and 30, offered in partnership with Algonquin College.

Among this cohort of graduates was Portia Settee.

Originally from Wabowden, a community in northern Manitoba, Settee first found her interest for the trade while attending programming in grade 8 at University College of the North (UCN). She initially intended to attend an electrician course, but a change in programming availability landed her in a heavy-duty technician course.

“My instructor there thought I did well and encouraged me to follow through with the trade in the future,” said Settee.

Now employed full-time as a technician at Zenith Paving in Brandon and looking to return to Assiniboine in fall 2024 to pursue apprenticeship, Settee had some encouraging words for her fellow graduates.

“Being here today was a big accomplishment for everyone. Whether you are from a small community like Wabowden or a big city, never give up because you might be surprised what can happen”.